Fish elevator



, Oct. 3, 1939.

Filed Oct. 6, 1938 i 1.1 n \J. A 1105. u xx Q QW Q WT V Aiiomeys/ -45 desiring to swim upstream past the dam.

Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 7 men anuvs'roa Louis E. Helsel, Duncansvllle, Pa. 1 v Application October @1938, Serial No. 233.881

' 3 Claims. (01. 01-2 1 This invention relates to fish elevatorsand has for the primary object the provision of a device of this characterjwhich' will be simple in construction and easy to install inja bodyof water I having located therein damsand other obstruc- For a complete understanding of my invention;

reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which I Figure .1 is a top 'planview illustrating a fish elevator locatedin a stream or like body of water and constructed in accordance with my invention.

the same.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view showing a modlflcation of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view -show-' mg the entrance of the water passage in one form of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view showing another modification of the present invention.

Figure '1 is a sectional view taken on line l--l ofFigure6.

Figure 8 .is a fragmentary plan view showing another modification of .the'present invention.

- Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an escape chamber for the fish after passing through the water passage.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral 5 indicates a body of water which in this instance is in the form ofa stream having a dam 6 which provides an obstruction to the fish The flow of the water is in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. To render the passing of the fish of the dam 6 comparatively easy, the present'invention is installed in the stream 60 and consists of a comparatively long conduit 1 which has one end mounted in an opening provided in the dam 6 below the'level of the water below the dam. The conduit I gradually slopes upwardly from the dam and is connected with a to chamber Bmounted on a suitable abutment 8 lo- Figure 21s a vertical sectional view illustrating cated in the bankiof the stream. The slope of the conduit 1 is very gradual so that the fiow of the'water therethrough will not be rapid. The chamber 8 has a plurality of slots in and'also is provided with louvers Ii arranged inwardly and 8 outwardly of the casing adjacent the slots to prevent trash and other foreign matter from clogging the slots.

Fish desiring to pass the dam from a point below stream of the dam enter the conduit 1 and 10 swim into the chamber 8 and escape therefrom byway of the slots it. Thus it will be seen that normal water passage for the fish to swim through 3 in order to pass the dam. 15

In many instances the stream may have curves therein above the dam, as shown in Figure 4, and in order to obviate the necessity of curving the conduit 1 in order to follow the stream, the

rial as the dam and further it may be desirable 3o to have the dam and entrance in the form of a chamber i i which will allow water to back into I the chamber after passing over the dam, as clearly intermediate the ends of the dam, as shown in Figures 6 and "l, the dam may be constructed 40 with laterally arranged chambers or pockets II. The pockets l2 are located out of the normal flow of .water so that the water within said pockets will become substantially idle and with conduits l3 connected thereto the fish may readily 5 enter the conduits from the pockets and pass upstream. As shown in Figure 8 the conduits where connecting with the pockets I! are arranged in the banks of the stream and are then brought into the stream at a point above the dam. Further, this illustration discloses the fact that several conduits may be employed when desired.

It is believed that the foregoing description, when taken in-connection with the drawing will 5 'tailed description vwill not be required.

What is claimed is; a 1. A fish elevator comprising a conduit having one end mounted in a dam and-open to water below the dam, a chamber 'connected'with the other end of the conduit and located in the body of water upstream from the dam and provided with slots through which fish may escape. and louvers arranged on the chamber inwardly and outwardly thereof and adjacent the slots.

2. In a device of the character set forth a dam having formed therein a pocket to permit water to enter therein downstream of the dam, a conduit connected to said pocket and extending upa,174,ea7

stream from the dam at a gradual inclination,

and a chamber having slots connected to the conduit to permit fish to escape therefrom and water to enter the conduit for passage therefrom below the dam, and means for anchoring the chamber in a bank of the stream.

3. "A fish elevator comprising a conduit having one end mounted in a dam and open to water below said dam, and a chamber connected to the other end of the conduit and located in the body of water upstream 'irom the dam and having a wall thereof disposed at an angle to the latternamed end of the conduit, said wall having struck therefrom portions to provide slots and louvers extending anguiarly to the slots. 

